Ambon to Sorong via Banda Sea, Fak Fak & Misool

This itinerary is special because it combines three of the best dive areas in Indonesia. The Banda Sea famous for its sheer walls covered with corals and sponges. The crystal clear waters make for unbelievable visibility. Next stop is rarely visited Fak Fak, an area already famous for its record breaking biodiversity. Because the water here is so nutrient rich, visibility averages only 10-20m, however those same nutrients feed an amazing web of life. We're talking extreme bio-mass. New species of fish and corals are being discovered all the time.

After diving in Fak Fak, we will steam towards Sorong where the cruise will end. On the way we will dive the Misool Island group which is part of the famous Raja Ampat, a name synonymous with some of the healthiest reefs on earth. This is usually a thirteen night cruise, if the trip runs longer we will spend an extra night in Kaimana Bay. Please note that this itinerary is subject to change depending on local weather and diving conditions and that all times are approximate.

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Day One: Arrival Ambon Airport

Kararu dive masters will meet you at the airport and escort you to the ship for immediate boarding. Cabin allocation and ship orientation will take place before departure at 3:00 PM. Take this opportunity to familiarize yourselves with the vessel, set up your equipment, and make yourself comfortable. Dinner will be served while sailing towards our first destination.

Day Two: Nusa Laut

Nusa Laut just east of Ambon was made famous from two of east Indonesia's famous diving pioneers, Larry Smith and Edi Frommenweiler. Larry had said it was his favorite reef in the entire eastern region of this great archipelago. It is truly a spectacular location and a full days diving will be on offer.

Day Three: Suanggi

Sixty five nautical miles SSE of Nusa Laut is Suanggi, a solitary volcanic island washed by current, it's sheer walls overgrown with life. Here you will see gigantic sponges and sea fans that have to be seen to be believed. Thousands of fusiliers flit in and out of table corals or swim by in vast schools. Pelagics swim off in the blue. Hammerhead sharks have been seen schooling at depth. Suanggi doesn't disappoint.

Day Four: Koon Island

Koon Island is located in the South of Seram Island and is the next stop after our departure from Misool. Koon has only one dive site named 'too many fish'. What makes Koon so special is the location on a trench that goes down to over 3,000 meters. All the big sea life that passes from the north to the south ocean has to go through these waters. Big schools of all kinds of fish including, but not limited to, trevally, batfish, snapper, grouper, pompano and barracuda are seen here. There's also the chance to see Orcas, whales and sharks. Depending on the moon phase the strong currents can make this dive very challenging.

Day Four: Transit

Days Six, Seven & Eight: Aiduma Island Group

The area around Aiduma Island is home to some of the most unspoiled diving left on earth. According to Dr. Gerry Allen the Fak-Fak / Triton Bay region is the epicenter of marine bio-diversity in the world. Dense black coral gardens, lush soft corals in all the colors of the rainbow and multi-hued sponges including vase, tube, barrel and more abound. Among these, a staggering variety of bony fishes and invertebrates frolic in the nutrient-rich water. Flights of cow nosed rays appear seasonally. Grouper, batfish, damselfish and morays swim with fusilier, surgeonfish and scorpionfish. Clouds of baitfish swirl. Nudibranch, several species of ghost pipefish, frogfish and more hide out on the bottom. Wobbegong Sharks bide their time under coral bommys waiting for the sun to set. The sights are unbelievable and unforgettable.

Day Nine: Transit & Waterfall Visit

As we travel from Palau Aiduma to Palau Pisang we will have an opportunity to visit one of the signature features of the Fak Fak coastline. The waterfall just north of Mommon Bay is spectacular to behold. The terminus of a river that drains a vast watershed, this unnamed waterfall deposits huge amounts of fresh water into the ocean, noticeably cooling the surface of the sea. It's a memorable photo op and, weather permitting, we will swim thru and climb around it. An experience not soon forgotten.

Day Ten: Palau Pisang

Upon our arrival at Palau Pisang we're divers again. A number of dive sites are available at this group of islands. The diving ranges from pinnacles covered with large elephant ear sponges and nudibranchs to sloping reef with sea fans, home to pygmy seahorses, and soft corals. Hard coral gardens cover the shallows. Manta rays, eagle rays and turtles have been spotted in and around the deep channels that run between these islands. Sightings of bump head parrotfish and napoleon wrasse are common.

Days Eleven, Twelve & Thirteen: Misool Island Group

The Misool Island group sits at the entrance of the Seram Sea, two degrees south of the equator. This entire region is one enormous ancient limestone basin and even has limestone as the seafloor. Those who have travelled to Palau can picture these little tropical islands covered in pandana, other palms, with steep sided walls where wind and sea has worn the rock away.

The islands, or islets, are uncountable. The larger ones, like Misool itself, have canyons and lagoons speckled with white sand beaches ideal for tender boat rides. One can spend hours exploring and never see the same bay. It really is a place of great beauty both above and below the water. It's rightly being considered by the Indonesian government for national park status and by the United Nations as a world heritage site.

Below the water there are over 1100 species of fish and over 450 different species of corals making the area one of the most diverse marine habitats in the world. This area is also famous for being a prolific habitat for pygmy seahorses and on most any dive the guides can find all three known species of them.

Day Fourteen: Arrival in Sorong

The ship will arrive at 6:00am at Sorong. You will be served breakfast and afterwards prepare for disembarkation. A Kararu dive master will transfer you to the airport for your onward flight.

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available cruises for this itinerary

2010 cruises No available cruises in 2010 for this itinerary

2011 cruises No available cruises in 2011 for this itinerary

2012 cruises No available cruises in 2012 for this itinerary

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